Is House of Cards Season 3 Feminist? SPOILER ALERTS
This is a long one sorry in advance! Being the
International Relations/Politics geek that I am House of Cards is probably my
favourite TV show. With the possible exception of Orange in the New Black. Obviously.
Feminist geek me triumphs politics geek me any day. Upon watching series 3 I
begun to think that the heavens were shining on me: international politics AND
strong sassy feminist women. AMAZING. So excuse me for one post whilst I
digress into popular culture to ask the questions on every Claire-Underwood-Obsessed-Woman’s
lips: Is House of Cards Season 3 deliberately feminist? Whilst I acknowledge
that this isn’t exactly current affairs I think popular culture and media
outlets have a great deal to do in shaping the way we see the world. Equally
they are often reflections of changes in the political landscape or popular
attitudes. For both these reasons I think it’s vital to engage with sources of
popular entertainment as well as real life politics.
7 Reasons why House of Cards might be written with Feminist Intentions
1. It’s no longer about the men – certainly not
Frank.
2. Clare Underwood
Where do I even begin? Let’s face it this series is
all about Clare. Besides the not very feminist analysis that she looks
absolutely breathtakingly stunning all the bloody time and I want all of her
clothes, here are just some of the times Clare taught us that being a women
made you in absolutely no way subordinate to a man be it your husband or the President
of Russia:
THAT Toilet Scene: The position of ‘First Lady’ is
possibly the single most patriarchal construction in the history of US
politics. It literally dictates that a woman follow around a man in his shadow,
preform her lady-like duties and basically keep her mouth shut. Not Clare. She
demands that she will no longer live in Francis’s shadow and therefore will not
rest until she get the position of US ambassador to the United Nations. Once
she finally succeeds in this mission she exercises diplomacy, determination and
ambition despite the patriarchal hurdles put up at every turn. Both the Russian
President and the Russian ambassador symbolise misogyny and patriarchy in this
season as they continuously try to conflate her to her femininity. After the
Russian ambassador tells Clare she is not fit for the job but that he ‘likes
that dress on her’ she sets out with her patriarchal hammer and takes it to a
rather unusual setting: the ladies toilets. In the ultimate revenge of awkward,
uncomfortable, emasculation Clare mocks the Russian ambassador and gets him to
agree to her demands whilst she applies her make up and then goes to the toilet
with the door open. Whilst she says ‘It’s always good to have a man’s opinion’
this is obviously tongue in cheek.
THAT Little Pickle Joke – After Petrov publically
insults Clare at the state dinner by telling her outright that he thinks she is
basically there for decoration to ‘seduce’ Frank’s targets and that she does a
much better job at this than she does at being an ambassador she fights back
with a simple emasculating joke about Petrov’s ‘little pickle.’ It’s a bit low
for her but even so she knows he needs taking down a peg. He seems to represent
an embodiment of patriarchy throughout the season, objectifying her and
insisting she no longer be ambassador later in the season. She stands up to him
in Moscow and it is fabulous – see below.
THAT egg symbolism – Clare and Frank make it very
clear throughout the three seasons that the oval office is their only child.
There is definite emphasis on this in this season and I think for a long time
we all thought she was pregnant, she might still be. However the symbolism of
giving Francis the black egg and then cracking 2 eggs for a late night snack
suggest otherwise. Perhaps Clare is feeling the pressure to have a family given
her role as First Lady yet she does not seem to give into this pressure. The
awareness of this for the audience makes for an interesting inner-monologue and
emphasises the problem most women face in choosing between a career and a
family.
THAT speech in Russia – When Clare defies both her
husband and the embodiment of patriarchy: Petrov, in Moscow by denouncing his
treatment of Michael Corrigan it was a heroic moment for both LGBTQ and women’s
rights. She refused to be silenced on something that she felt was absolutely
abhorrent and we loved her for it.
THAT line on the plane – Then when she boarded the
plane home with Francis he was fuming with her for standing up for what she
believed in and he reveals his inner-patriarch by saying ‘I should have never
made you ambassador.’ This insinuates that Clare did nothing for herself and
that Frank, along with all the other men in the show, believe that she is only
ambassador because she is First Lady and that it has nothing to do with her
skill or ambition! She retorts with the brilliant one-liner ‘I should have
never made you president.’ Whilst Frank has always advocated equal partnership,
Clare is beginning to realise what this actually means and what it so often
means in real life. And she ain’t having it.
THAT Finale Moment – Then after a verbally and
physically abusive scene the evening before (trigger warning needed) where
Frank exposes himself as a repugnant and selfish man we all knew he was Clare
takes the higher ground and simply leaves him. Despite the difficult circumstances
she shows that it is never acceptable to sit back and allow abuse.
3. Two Women Presidential Candidates
Not just one token women but TWO women candidates,
the majority women in a television debate – can you imagine!? Although to begin
with the relationship between Heather and Jackie is relatively strained when
Jackie finally backstabs Frank in revenge and comes out in support of Heather the sisterhood is real ladies.
4. Jackie’s Marriage & Heather’s Family
These two storylines seem are deliberately
patriarchal. Perhaps this is a result of patriarchal screen writing or perhaps
it is deliberate in order to emphasise to the viewer that these are struggles
women face in their careers. Jackie is essentially forced into a marriage she
isn’t sure about because God forbid a woman stand for election if she is an
unmarried harlot! Whilst Heather’s children become embroiled in political
scraps in the television debate. These scenes stand to make it very clear that
none of the male candidates or politicians have ever had their private and
family lives dragged into the limelight like this. It emphasises the
patriarchal nature of public politics and the challenges that women face if
they enter the male dominated realm.
5. Kate Baldwin & The Israeli Ambassador to the
UN
Two whole more strong, ambitious and brilliant women who ain’t afraid of no
man.
6. Pussy Riot Feature
At Petrov’s dinner Pussy Riot the FEMINIST pressure
group stand up to denounce president Petrov’s patriarchal and heteronormative
regime. If that’s not a feminist reference – I don’t know what is.
7. Rachel Posner
Although I personally think the whole
Doug/Rachel/Gavin storyline is a bit dead and irrelevant in this season Rachel
could be seen to be there to symbolise what the patriarchy does to women like
her. Let’s not forget she got embroiled in this whole plot line because she was
a sex worker, without protection from the state. And she wouldn’t be with Doug
properly because she was gay. When Rachel pleads to Doug not to kill her
because she is already dead it is a saddening tale of how patriarchy can kill a
person’s spirit.
It’s no OITNB but with a focus on the female
characters, explicit references to patriarchy and the challenges real women
face in their everyday lives could all of the above suggest that possibly maybe
this mainstream show is feminist? I think it would be fairly difficult to watch
season 3 without thinking in anyway about women and the struggles we face.
Don’t get me wrong there’s still a lot wrong with it and let’s not forget that
every single one of those women are white. But it’s a start. If feminism is
finally shoved into the limelight of entertainment people can ignore it less
and less. Plus think of all the new and exciting storylines we’d have if plots
centred around other people instead of just straight, white, middle class, American
men!
I did attempt to ask the the screen writer Beau Willimon on twitter about his intentions with the female characters but with no response. However there are various interview on the internet which might provide insight.
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